


Marking Order

by Artan



Series: Fluency AU [8]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Language, Pack Behavior, Traditions, Wolf Culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-28 23:43:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8467627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artan/pseuds/Artan
Summary: A Lupine phrase, with a meaning similar to the chain of command.Cultural sensitivity classes only cover so much, but some situations require some personal experience to navigate properly.  Judy needs Nick to guide her through pack behavior.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Bold is Vulpine  
> Italics are Lapine

Judy was practically buzzing with excitement; this was the part of police work that she loved the most.  A majority of Zootopia’s first precinct was gathered in the bullpen, reviewing the details of a joint raid with fourth precinct from Tundratown.  Nighthowlers were back.

While a majority of Bellwether’s co-conspirators were serving very hefty prison sentences, there had been plenty of opportunity for some portions of her network to go to ground.  Rooting them out was taking time and when several isolated cases of Savagry broke out earlier in the year, it became one of the top projects for the first precinct’s detective unit.  In mid-April, they got a break.  A drug called Rush had begun to spread throughout the city’s gangs and was proving to be a key lead to a pair of rams know as Jessie and Woolter.  Synthesized from a more diluted form of Bellwether’s serum and powdered with prescription drugs, it was a potent chemical cocktail.  Users typically reported feelings of invincibility and enhanced endurance, the bouts of sudden rage were seen as an acceptable side effect by the gangs and addicts that dared to use the stuff.

Nick sat on the same chair as her through the briefing, appropriately scaled chairs were supposed to have been delivered last week, again.  Judy didn’t mind the close proximity, some days she relished having her mate so close.  He made an excellent pillow in the morning.  Right now however, she was far more focused on the raid.

“So, here is a quick summary for those of us weren’t listening, Wilde.”  Chief Bogo’s comment seemed to just bounce off her fox and his reply came with seemingly practiced ease.  “Chief, how could I not be listening to your dulcet tones?  I think your vocal talents are wasted on a group of simple officers like us.”  A few snorts and some stifled chuckles could be heard around the room as tension that had been building all day lifted.  The water buffalo snorted in response, Judy still wasn’t sure if that was exasperation or what passed for humor in the mammal.  “As I was saying,” the Chief continued, “We have solid evidence of a Rush lab in northern Tundratown, specifically in a warehouse on Polaris Street.  We are working with Fourth Precinct on this one, so I would like you all to stick to the plan and behave.”

“There are going to be three lines, preventing anyone from escaping that warehouse.  The outermost cordon will be maintained by a force from the local precinct.  The innermost cordon will be set-up directly surrounding the warehouse.  Finally, we will have several checkpoints set-up in-between the two perimeters to act as a rapid response team.  If you run into any trouble, not that I expect you to, they will be on standby to assist.  None of us are going to enter that building; the Mayor’s Office is taking this seriously and has assigned us SWAT units to the raid.  They are going to be accompanied by several members of Precinct Four’s Assault team.  The two of them should be easily capable of clearing the building on their own; we just need to give them the space they need.  Remember officers, we will hit them hard, we hit them fast, and we will all come out of this in one piece.”  With that, the briefing was over.  The officers present headed to their assigned cruisers and drove north.

They drove past some of their fellow officers, who were needed to maintain order in the southern portions of Zootopia.  Nick gave a solemn salute to one of their comrades as they drove by.  Any humor he usually had vanished when the pair left the ZPD parking lot.  Judy could see he was tense and nervous as his ears swiveled at the smallest sounds.  “You alright Nick?”  She asked, without taking her eyes off the road.  Nick at first answered without thinking, “Yeah, just fine.”  He said hurriedly before taking a moment to actually think about what he was saying.  “Just nervous is all.  I know we have trained for things like this, but actually doing it is another thing entirely.”  Judy wanted to put a paw on his shoulder, but the space between the cruiser’s seats prevented her.  Instead, she had to settle for words.  “We’ll be fine,” Judy said.  “We aren’t going into the lab, just watching the inner cordon.  Besides, with the amount of back-up we have I’m surprised we are even up here.  I guess city hall is making a Brother Rabbit story out of this.”  Nick looked confused.  “Brother Rabbit story?”  “Traditional Lapine folk tales.  I can tell you some later, but we need to stay focused here.”  Judy spoke quickly as they neared they pulled into position near the warehouse.

The two of them waited outside their cruiser for the raid to begin.  Authorization for tranquilizer rifles had been issued over the radio minutes ago.  The two long, pneumatic weapons were pointed at the unassuming building across the street.  Even through the heavy duty jacket Judy could still feel some to the cold.  The alley they were in seemed to funnel the wind and offered little cover from the cold.  Bogo’s voice came through the small radio clipped to Nick’s belt, “Area secured, sending in assault teams now.”  From behind her, Judy could hear one of the breaching groups approach.  A grim faced, heavily armored rhino stomped through the thin layer of snow, followed by a trio of wolves.  As they passed her, the shortest one called over his shoulder, “Thanks for the cover cutie!”  One of his companions added, “We’ll take it from here little bunny, don’t you worry.”

There was a moment of shock as the comment sunk in.  By the time she was able to respond the whole team was sprinting across the street to the door they were breaching.  Judy felt frustration build at the wolves, which was seemingly echoed by Nick next to her.  She could hear him mutter under his breath, “ **There are three mammals I am ok with talking to you like that, and none of them are wolves.** ”  A part of Judy loved it when Nick was protective like this, but mostly she was annoyed.  It would have to wait, however, they were about to breach the door.  Everyone was on high alert.  The command rang out clearly through the radio, the rhino battered down the door, the wolves entered, and the raid was on.

At least seven mammals were in cuffs by the end of the raid.  Mostly prey, they were taken by surprise and were unable to flee to safety.  Not that it would have helped them much.  While neither Jessie nor Woolter were among the captured suspects the evidence the ZPD gathered here would give the detectives plenty of pour over.  At the very least, they managed to stop the spread of a potentially dangerous drug.

Judy considered herself lucky to have managed to avoid precinct four’s assault team after the raid ended.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to last forever.  As usual, she managed to hear trouble coming before she saw it.  The three wolves were speaking to each other in what she could only assume was Lupine.  Somehow, it sounded like the Vulpine she was more familiar with.  If they would have just slowed down and enunciated she may have understood more than a word every few sentences.  She had been waiting for Nick by their cruiser, but when the wolves rounded the rear of the vehicle they stopped.

Now that Judy finally had a moment to look at them, they looked very similar.  In fact, they looked like brothers.  They all had the grey fur that was common for timber wolves, but their eyes were all different.  Before she could make any more observations, the shortest canine grinned and started speaking.  “Heeey!  It’s Officer Hop-along!”  Judy interrupted him there, “It’s Officer Hopps.”  The wolf carried on as if she hadn’t said anything.  “Anyway, thanks for the assist earlier, without you I don’t know what we would have done.”  The other two wolves began to look rather uncomfortable as their companion continued speaking.  The eldest one even kicked his shins, but it seemed to have gone unnoticed.  “Look, just letting you know, it we have a job and need some extremely adorable backup, we would love your help.”  That did it.  If she wasn’t pissed at him before, she was now.

 Her foot began tapping against the cold ground, and she didn’t care who saw it this time.  “Now listen here,” She began, placing her paws on her hips.  “For one, it is rude to call a bunny cute.  Especially if you aren’t another bunny.  Also, I am more than just ‘back-up.’  I have worked as hard as anyone else, if not harder.  So you coming along and treating me like that is just asking for trouble.”  Nick chose that moment to return from checking in with the command units, she almost missed his footfalls in the snow behind her.  With her partner at her back she took a few steps towards her harassers.  All four canids around her reacted almost at once.

The wolves closed ranks with her first step and hackles were raised on the second.  Nick held her back from the third.  Judy turned to glare at him for restraining her when the look of concern on his face made her stop.  “ _Let’s just let this one go.  Please?_ ”  Nick seemed uneasy as he spoke, something he typically tried to conceal.  Judy snorted in disgust before responding.  “ _Fine, let’s go.  I will be putting this on my reports.  Hopefully MR does something this time._ ”  Nick ushered her into the cruiser, and as they drove off she could see the wolves relax in the rearview mirror.

 

 

“What do you mean MR isn’t doing anything?”  Judy was in a fine mood upon reading the memo MR left on her desk several days after the raid.  Nick was looking over her shoulder almost before she finished her sentence.  As she made to throw the slip of paper in a nearby trash basket, Nick pulled it out of her paws to take a closer look.  Fuming, she turned back to the incident report she had been filling out.  As she worked, she heard Nick clear his throat behind her.  Her ear flicked up in attention and he began speaking.  “I hate to say it fluff, but it looks like you may have jumped the gun a bit there.  Right at the end here, there is a certain suggestion from a certain ‘Chief Willow.’”  Judy sat up straight at that.  “And?  What does it say?”  She said, turning to face her fox.  He looked grim as he responded.  “It’s a name, Sam Timberline, along with an address in Tundratown.  I think I know what Willow wants us to do, but I don’t like it.”  The rabbit was curious now, so she pressed Nick for information.  “What do you mean by that?”  There was a moment before the fox sighed, responding.  “We are going to talk to the assault team’s Alpha.”  Judy had more questions, but Nick stalled her with a raised digit.  “I know you have a lot of questions Carrots, but this isn’t the time for it.  I can tell you everything I know at home, trust me.”  While it did little to sate her curiosity, Judy put herself back to work.

 The two got home late that evening.  Somehow, Trunkaby was having trouble with one of his suspects in the atrium.  Judy never knew just how flexible ferrets were until she saw one nearly tie himself in knots earlier.  Some mammals will do anything to avoid a speeding ticket.  They were in the middle of cleaning up from dinner when Judy’s curiosity demanded answers again.  “Can you answer me now?” She asked, elbow deep in soapy water.  If there was one thing she had learned from her hundreds of siblings, it was how to wash dishes.  “I was wondering how long it would take you to ask.”  Nick said, grinning.  “I had a feeling you were going to be asking me a few questions that are better answered away from all the on-duty officers.”  Judy’s eyes widened, it was going to be one of THOSE discussions. 

“Ok, ummm, where to start…”  She was thrown off by the sudden openness, but there was honestly only one question that had been bothering her through most of the afternoon.  “What does Chief Willow want us to do, exactly?”  Nick placed the pan he had finished drying on one of the dish towels and picked up another from washtub in the sink before he responded.  “Willow wants us to speak with the Alpha of the West Peak Howlpack, which is the pack those wolves are associated with.  By the way, I know their names, if you want them.”  Judy nodded in affirmation.  “They are Peter, Mike, and John Howlerson, three brothers.  I seem to remember them causing trouble back when I was still hustling.”

Judy had finished washing, and began helping Nick put away the dishes.  She grunted, lifting the heavy crockpot into one of the lower cabinets.  Nick moved to help her, but she waved him off.  Sometimes she just wanted to do some things on her own.  Instead, she gave him another question to occupy his attention.  “So what would speaking to the Alpha do?  I mean, could the chief do the same thing?”  Nick put away the remaining dishes as he spoke.  “You know fluff, we really should get a dishwasher, it would make this so much easier.”  He was clearly stalling for time, something he did when he was worried about her response.  Judy gave him a look of mild irritation and Nick was suddenly back on topic.  “Wolves are very pack oriented, somewhat like rabbits in a way.  They form close social circles with a strict hierarchy.  The Alpha sits at the top, sometimes there is even a pair of Alphas, but usually there’s just one.  Below him are the Betas, they act as his subordinates.  When something needs to be done, they are the ones to do it.  At the bottom are the Omegas.  They aren’t given much status by their pack.  The serve a wide range of roles, from traditional scapegoat to comedian, but are usually the youngest members of a pack.”

Nick continued speaking as the two headed for the couch, most nights they would watch TV together, but not right now.  “By speaking to the pack Alpha, we are hoping to appeal to the Howlerson’s social group.  Wolves assign great importance to their Pack, but can sometimes have trouble respecting mammals without one.  Just one of those things they don’t cover in Cultural Sensitivity classes back at the academy.  So, if we can talk to Mr. Timberline we have two options, the polite one or the traditional one.”

Nick and Judy sat on opposite ends of the couch; it made it easier for them to talk this way.  Also it made it easier for Judy to pick up on her mate’s body language, which was currently setting off some alarm bells in her head.  “What are those options?  Something about them is making you nervous.”  Concern was evident in her voice.  “The scary option isn’t the first one, but the second.”  Nick said.  “I want you to promise me something, however.  I will stand beside you in whatever decision you make, but I want you to think this one through.  We get into enough trouble as it is, we don’t need any more.”  Judy nodded before responding, “That makes two of us.”

Nick visibly relaxed at that and beckoned her over to his side of the couch.  She leaned against his chest and he carefully groomed her with his claws as he spoke.  “Our options are fairly simple.  The polite option is just us going to their Alpha and letting him take care of things for us.  I know it sounds rather passive, but he should be forced to act.  If those wolves cause too much trouble it reflects poorly on the pack as a whole.  The traditional method however, is the one that worries me.  You would challenge one of the brothers, with their Alpha’s permission.”  Judy interrupted with another question, “What kind of challenge?”

Nick’s claws ran down the length of her spine, causing her to sigh at the sensation while Nick replied.  “Well, that honestly depends on the pack.  Some of the more traditional ones prefer a physical confrontation, while others have settled for simple intimidation.  Some of the youngest packs have gone for challenges of courage, with who can graffiti the most visible location.  If you want to believe it, a group of lupine thieves solved all of their challenges with who could steal the most valuable loot.  Of course, the story also holds that the same pack eventually went on to found one of the largest banks in the city.”  Judy chuckled at the joke as Nick continued.  “I guess that some mammals just never change.  I mean sure, tax evasion was bad but compared to those guys its nothing!”  Judy tried to stifle a yawn amidst her giggles but failed miserably.  With that, Nick carried her off to their bedroom.  “Welp, looks like its bedtime for buns.”  He said, smirking.  Judy was tempted to hit him for that, but not now.  Perhaps tomorrow, after a little rest.

 They were in the middle of lunch the next day when Judy decided she had thought about her options for long enough.  She had already made a decision earlier that morning but waited to give Nick some peace of mind.  The fox had just returned to their table with two cups of leftover vegetable stew from the previous nice when she told him.  “I know what we should do.”  Nick’s ears perked up as he seemed to understand what she was referring to.  “Let’s take the polite option.  We can get a feel for what this Sam Timberline is like and if we need to, the second option is still open to us.”  Nick smiled slightly and nodded.  “Sounds like a good plan.”  He said.  With that, he quickly finished his soup before vanishing for the remainder of their break.  When he returned he had interesting news, somehow he had managed to get special permission to for the two of them to take the afternoon to deal with their ‘problem.’  As they walked to their cruiser she asked Nick what he did to get the time off.  All he was willing to say was that he owed Wolfard and Grizzoli drinks.  Many, many drinks.

Their cruiser came to a stop in front of an unassuming apartment building in the southern street of Tundratown.  The pair walked up to the front door in full uniform and were met by a pair of timber wolves outside.  Nick had insisted that they appear in full uniform and took the initiative when the wolves stepped forward.  “Afternoon,” He began simply, “We are here to speak with Sam Timberline, your Alpha.  I would like to politely request an audience on behalf of both me and my partner.”  Nick folded his paws behind his back and stepped backwards to give the wolves some space.  The two canines seemed to size the officers up for a moment before the older one turned and barked a few sentences into the intercom.  As he spoke, Judy was certain she could make out some of the words he used; he just spoke too fast again.  The response they got was swift, and the pair was escorted inside.  There were told to wait in the lobby while the Alpha came down to meet them.  Judy watched Nick carefully when his nose suddenly flared suddenly.  Quietly, he muttered a few words out of the side of his muzzle.  “ _I think our ‘he’ is in fact a she._ ”

As Judy took a moment to process those words, a new wolf entered the room.  She towered over the two officers and her muscles were evident even without the well fitted t-shirt.  Nick bowed his head as she introduced herself.  “Good afternoon officers, I am Sam Timberline, Alpha of the West Peak Howlpack.  I trust my pack members aren’t under suspicion of anything, are they?”  The tone was formal and serious; Judy listened as Nick responded in kind.  “Today we come with more personal business, regarding three members of your pack.  Specifically the Howlerson brothers.”  The Alpha’s gaze hardened but Nick never seemed to flinch.  He continued as if nothing had happened.  “They have insulted the honor of my partner here, and in doing so threaten both their own honor and that of the ZPD.  I come to ask you to address this problem, if you will.”  Sam fixed her gaze on Judy and asked a simple question.  “Is this true?”

The rabbit had to steel herself from an instinctive portion of her that wanted to flee under the scrutiny of the larger predator.  She met the wolf’s grey eyes before she answered.  “Yes, I had wanted to confront them at the time, but my partner convinced me otherwise.”  Sam gave several barking laughs and grinned, her fangs were on display for everyone to see.  “Three on two is hardly a fair fight, especially for one of your size.  You have steel officer, and your mate has all the cunning of his Ancestors.”  Judy’s surprise was evident on her face.  What gave it away, she asked herself.  As if reading her mind, the she-wolf’s grin seemed to grow even larger.  “He seems like a good choice, as far as I can tell.  Just remember, if you think his nose is good, mine is better.  Also, he’s a fox.  They have a rather, distinct scent.  Honestly, it’s all over you.”

Judy’s sudden embarrassment was quashed as the pack leader spoke again.  “Back to the original matter here, I will do what I can to curb those three hooligans.  The only issue is that my paws are tied here.  While they may be idiots, none of the Howlersons are dumb enough to challenge any of my Betas.  While I would at least be willing to entertain a challenge from Peter, the eldest, the other two still need to learn their place.”  Sam paused for a moment, but before Judy could say anything Nick intervened.  “So, is there nothing you are willing to do?”  He asked pointedly.  “Well, that all depends on just how serious your mate is.”  The wolf response was laced with a note of challenge.  While some mammals would have found that worrisome, they were not Judy Hopps.  “What do you need?”  She said.  Under different circumstances, she would have found the reply worrisome, but not now.  “Excellent, I have an idea.”

“Are you familiar with a Challenge Officer…?”  The wolf was fishing for a name, which Judy was more than willing to provide.  “Judy Hopps, this is my partner, Nick Wilde.  Nick spoke a bit about the topic, but really only the basics.”  The Alpha strolled over to a small lounge area and sat down on a well-worn couch, beckoning the officers to have a seat as well.  Once they all had made themselves comfortable, the Alpha laid out her plans.  “Well, since you know the basics, that saves us some time.  Here is something your mate probably didn’t talk about however, who can challenge whom.”  Judy nodded and the wolf continued.  “Challenges are always issued by the lower ranking member.  Even though I may want to put some pressure on the Howlersons, I can’t initiate anything myself.  You however, can act for me.  They won’t resist the chance to raise their standing in the pack.  Besides, I can issue the challenge in your stead.  Should everything work out, this will help both of us.  You get to solve your issues with the brothers while I get to teach them some humility and put them in their place.  Will you accept?”  This was an opportunity Judy could not pass up.  “Gladly.”  She replied.

The rest of the meeting was quickly wrapped up.  Nick handled the formalities that allowed them to politely disengage without incident.  Before she had left however, there was one final comment Sam Timberline had for her.  “Just be sure to bring a second.  I will call you later to let you know when the Challenge is being held.”  With those words, she turned and left.

Nick’s first words after they entered the cruiser were telling.  “ **Loxley’s grace** , Judy.  You really did it this time."  Suddenly, the enormity of what she just did hit her.  “I just Challenged a wolf…”  Her fox snorted in response, “Not just that, you also got his Alpha to endorse the whole affair.  By the way, I think she likes you.”  Judy couldn’t resist the opportunity to tease her mate slightly after that remark.  “Why?  Feeling jealous, Slick?”  She laughed at the look on Nick’s face for a moment before she asked a few serious questions.  “What did Sam mean by a ‘second’?”

Nick took the opportunity to reassert control over his expression.  He had become more open with his feelings since the two had met over a year and a half ago; Judy liked to think that she had helped play a role in that.  In the months after they had declared each other **Soulmates** however, he had opened even more for her.  She started the cruiser and turned up the heat as Nick finally answered her question.  “Ever hear the expression, the strength of the wolf, is his pack?”  Judy shook her head as she drove back toward their precinct, Nick continued his explanation.  “Well, the idea behind it is simple.  Wolves feel that their true strength isn’t the individual but what they are able to achieve as a group.  This idea extends even to their Challenges and hierarchy.  During a Challenge, the role of the second is to back-up the challenger.  This varies depending on what the form of the contest is, but this seems like a traditional Challenge.”  Judy pressed for more information.  “Well, I have taken down rhinos during the academy.  Not that it exactly helps here, but at least it counts for something.  I think I know who my second is already.”  Nick responded almost immediately.  “Just make sure it is someone you trust implicitly to have your back.”  Judy gave an easy smile, “Then this is an easy decision.”  She caught the flush that rose in Nick’s ears as he realized whom she had selected.

They returned their cruiser to the precinct’s motor pool and headed home shortly after.  Their expedition to Tundratown had taken longer than she had expected.  As they walked side by side to the metro, Judy posed a question she had the previous night.  “Nick, how do you know so much about wolves?”  Exhaustion had gotten the better of her earlier, before she could ask.  Her partner’s muzzle scrunched up slightly in concentration before he replied.  “Well, back when I worked for a very specific ‘legitimate business-mammal’ I had a number of different jobs.  The biggest one was acting as a ‘procurement agent’ outside of Tundratown.”  Judy glared slightly at Nick.  He quickly threw his paws up.  “No no no.  I wasn’t stealing things; I acted as a third party.  A middle mammal between various interests for when discretion was required.  Honest.”  Judy just huffed in response.  “Well anyways, one of the most common ‘customers’ I found myself dealing with was a pack from the dockyards.  We never asked each other for names, nor did we offer to.  It was strictly business.  Yet, I learned a few things from watching them.”  They pushed through the turnstile onto the metro platform and conversation turned to more current matters as they made their way home.

 

 

The next few days were mostly uneventful.  The city continued its usual routine despite the small dramas that unfolded below its surface.  Several traffic tickets, two incidents of minor note, and a case of shoplifting passed the time quickly.  The phone call came as a surprise.  Three days after her meeting with Sam, Clawhauser came panting to the desk she nearly shared with Nick.  “You have a call… Check line two… Sounds important…”  Judy got up to check on the cheetah but he just waved her off.

She picked up the phone and tucked it against the side of her head as she filled out her reports.  “Hello, Officer Judy Hopps, ZPD, what can I do for you?”  She should have expected the call from Sam, but somehow it was a surprise to hear her voice on the other end of the line.  “Officer Hopps, this is Sam Timberline, we spoke a few days ago.  The pack will gather at eight tonight, at the apartment.  Don’t be late and remember your second.”  She heard the line go silent before she could respond and a quick glance at the clock told her she had five hours to prepare herself and Nick.

Chief Bogo had loaned them a cruiser for the evening.  They arrived at the Tundratown apartment early after a light dinner.  The loose clothing they had chosen to wear did nothing to keep out the falling temperatures after sunset, so the door guards hurried them inside.  It was terrible manners to have the contestants getting hypothermia before a Challenge.  They were directed to the building’s basement where Judy could already here the voices of many other wolves.

The basement was far more open than Judy had expected.  The concrete floor was marked with a large painted ring.  Somewhere between twenty and thirty wolves were crowded into the space around the ring.  At first, they two smaller mammals went unnoticed in the crowd, but steadily heads turned their way and conversations began to die.  Before the room went quiet however, the Alpha entered the door behind them.  Silence settled for a moment, and then Sam spoke.  “These are our guests tonight; Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.  They have come to issue a Challenge.  We’ll give fifteen more minutes for the pack to assemble.  If by the end of that time the Challenged party isn’t here, they will have forfeited their position amongst us.”

The she-wolf spoke again in a much lower voice, once the buzz of conversation rose again.  “It is good to see you here, early as well.  There were some who doubted that you would even show up.  At the very least, that stands as a testament to your courage.  Now, we just need to see if those idiot brothers are willing to show their tails this evening.”

As time passed Judy could feel the tension build.  She and Nick stuck together, his paw on her shoulder.  She did what she could to recall how she had sparred with Grizzoli two weeks ago.  Honestly, it wasn’t any help.  As her heartrate began to accelerate she found Nick stroking her ears.  “ _Just relax.  Deep breaths love.  You can take them and I am right here behind you._ ”  He spoke just loud enough for her to hear him and perhaps one or two of the closest wolves, but they wouldn’t have understood what he had said.  Judy calmed slightly and settled in to wait.

The three brothers arrived just in time.  They rushed into the basement minutes before they would have forfeited the issue.  Everyone turned to look at them.  Sam grinned wickedly, “Glad to see you could join us boys.”  A space opened around the painted circle and she stood in the center, a hush descended on the room.  Nick quickly whispered to Judy, “Typically these are spoken entirely in Lupine.”  He barely managed to finish speaking before the formalities began.  “We are gathered here tonight for one reason.  An outsider has found grievance against one of our pack and demanded the right to face them.  After hearing their testimony I have found legitimacy with their Challenge.  Will the Challenger step into the ring?”  Nick nudged Judy from behind before she stepped into the opening.  “Will the Challenger state their name and grievance?”  Judy silently thanked Nick for walking her through this during the afternoon.  “I am Judy Hopps.”  She said, “I stand before you to seek recompense for insults to both my honor and those stand behind me.”  She had a moment of worry when the Alpha didn’t respond.  If the Challenge wasn’t issued properly, the Howlersons could be allowed to refuse it.

However, it seemed good enough when the next lines rang out.  “Whom are you seeking recompense from?”  Judy searched the crowd at the she-wolf’s voice, locking eyes on her opponent.  “I Challenge John Howlerson, should he had the daring to face me.”  The traditional challenge gained a mocking edge as she issued it, goading the young wolf to respond.  “I do.”  He had spoken out of turn from his impatience, earning him several glares from his pack mates.  The Alpha continued with the ceremony, “Judy Hopps, do you have a Second?”  Judy met Nick’s eyes and answered.  “I will take Nick Wilde as my second.”  The fox stepped forward as he was questioned.  “Do you accept to be this Challenger’s Second?”  He was asked.  Nick gave a slight smirk as he replied.  “I will guard her back so the world may set itself against us while we howl our defiance.”  Those weren’t the words they had practiced, and some of the wolves seemed taken aback by them.  “John, who will be your Second?”  The young wolf looked over at his brothers and called out.  “Michael, will you join me?”  The two youngest siblings stepped into the ring opposite Judy and Nick.

Sam laid out the rules for the Challenge in a tone that brokered no dispute.  “This Challenge shall follow the precedents of our tradition.  Both combatants will fight until they are unable to continue, in which case their second will stand in their stead.  Any attempt to leave the boundaries of the arena will be seen as forfeiture.  All that any contender will be allowed to take into the arena will be the clothes on their back and the limbs they were born with.  Once both seconds have left the ring and the combatants have taken their places, we shall begin on my mark.”  Judy turned to look at her mate, who nodded encouragingly before taking his place just outside the painted circle.

Judy stood opposite the youngest Howlerson brother.  He was the one who began this whole affair and now it was time to make him pay.  She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she waited for the signal, each beat seemed to take longer than the last.  “Fight!”  The command came with the barest hint of a snarl as Judy waited for her opponent to make a move.  Like most fights, her adversary was far larger than her.  Her speed, wits, and agility would be her weapons here.

Both combatants took a moment to observe each other before the young wolf seized the initiative.  With a few strides he was atop Judy.  Or at least, he would have if she hadn’t darted behind him.  The strongest muscles on any rabbit were in their legs, which made them perfect for her response.  Two quick strides and a powerful hop allowed her to connect a full bodied kick with both feet to the small of her target’s back.  The young wolf found himself face first on the cold, hard concrete floor, much to his surprise.  Judy let him return to his feet unmolested, there was no point in her ever trying to pin mammals at her weight.

Unlike the bouts she had fought during the police academy, there was no way she could use the environment around her to deliver a single, knockout blow.  Instead she had to steadily batter her enemy into submission.  Several more powerful hammer blows rocked the wolf, bringing him to one knee before he changed his tactics.  John stood quickly, faced her, and took several steps back towards the edge of the ring, leaving little space for Judy to slip behind him.  He fell into a defensive crouch and waited for her to attack him.  He had just learned a simple lesson, don’t chase an angry rabbit.  Unfortunately, he learned far too late.

Judy took a few seconds to catch her breath before she began.  Where the wolf was standing limited her to a frontal assault, but she didn’t mind this time.  There was something cathartic in taking out her frustrations on the condescending, smug wolf.  With a hasty plan she dove back into the fight, rushing head on at her foe.  At the last moment she made a quick fake to the right before bounding to the left.  With her opponent caught off guard, her hit to his side managed to knock him down outside the ring.  The young wolf hit the floor hard.  The concrete finished the job Judy started, knocking him out cold.

She stood there on suddenly trembling legs, before she felt Nick guide her over to one side of the ring.  As several wolves dragged John from the arena she sat on the floor to rest.  Her heart seemed ready to come out of her chest and her lungs didn’t seem large enough for each breath she took.  The longer she sat however, the weaker she felt.  Nick tapped her shoulder and suddenly helped her back to her feet.  The second bout was about to begin.  Before she stepped back into the ring he had some final advice.  “He may try to submit here, after your performance earlier.  If he doesn’t, just call my name and step out of the ring.  I can take things from there.”  With that, he rubber her shoulders one last time as she took her position in the circle.

Michael seemed stunned for a moment when he was called forward, then flattened his ears and shook his head in refusal.  His Alpha took offense to that, she growled at him before ordering him forward through her fangs.  “You are your brother’s Second.  Both of you agreed to the terms, now stand in his stead.”  When he still refused Sam took a step forward and gave him a final warning.  “Either you take the honorable choice or you leave now and never return.  I won’t ask again.”  Her voice was laden with intent that made Judy slightly nervous just being in the same room.  The threat was enough to coerce the middle Howlerson brother into the ring.  He took his place across from Judy and grimly awaited the start of the match.  Judy didn’t have much of a chance to recover any of her stamina before the command rang out for the last time.  “Fight!”

Judy expected Michael to be on the defensive, but the way the wolf stood was wrong.  He didn’t brace himself or make any attempt to move to a better position.  Instead he got down on one knee.  His tail was tucked between his legs and he pointed his muzzle up and to the side, it was all the hallmarks of a submissive posture.  Michael spoke then, he was much softer spoken than she remembered from his jeers back in Tundratown.  “I submit both myself and in my brother’s place.  We both called your skill and honor into question, but it was us who were lacking.”  He took a deep breath before continuing, “For what we have done, you may take whatever satisfaction you deem necessary.  I will not resist or dispute.”  Judy was rendered speechless; all she could do was shake her head.  This fight was over.

The adrenaline came out of her system quickly, bringing Judy to a crashing halt.  Her legs began to collapse beneath her, but a pair of paws and arms were there to support her.  It was Nick, somehow hew always managed to be there for her.  He guided her out of the ring as Sam began speaking again, Judy wasn’t listening anymore.  The stress and tension of the last hour worked with the actual tension of fighting to make everything a blur.  Voiced blended together as Nick drew her to the edge of the crowd.  As the two made their way through the pack, she noticed a newfound respect in those she made eye contact with.  Several heads nodded in her direction that had ignored her before.  They left as soon as it was polite, or at least that is what Nick told her as they drove back to the apartment.  Even though he hated it, he was in the driver’s seat.  Judy didn’t trust herself to get them home safely.

 

 

Judy counted herself lucky to just have simple patrol duty over the next few days.  Nick had to wake her the next morning instead of the other way around, while her legs were still sore two days later.  By the end of the week however, she did have two new messages.  The first was a voicemail from Sam Timberline, offering both congratulations and thanks.  Apparently, word of her Challenge was being spread through the city’s packs, which explained the strange looks Wolfard had been giving her since yesterday.  The other was a written memo from Chief Willow.  The elk Police Chief had sent her a short and simple letter.  Judy took time to read the note, and Nick found her still beaming at the end of their shift.  Apparently, with enough blunt trauma and some pack dynamics you can easily change the world.  Or at least one of the nearby police precincts.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was a hell of a thing to type. Classes and just sheer length both made this thing take far too long, I had this thing written two weeks ago. Ugh.
> 
> So, there was one thing that I really couldn't find a way to fit into the story. The relationship between the Canid Languages, namely Vulpine, Lupine, and Jackal. They hold a similarity to the Scandinavian languages, where knowing one can help understand the other two. Lupine and Jackal are fairly close, but Vulpine has had much more drift as the species drifted apart. If a lupine speaker makes an effort to, he could be understood by a vulpine speaker. If you have ever looked at the comic Stand Still, Stay Silent there is a good page that makes the relationship fairly clear.
> 
> Before I write any of these things, I will take a moment to write a small note sheet. This time, one line stands out:  
> Judy wins, flawless victory. BABALITY
> 
> Feel free to leave comments, I will take all the help I can get with these things.


End file.
